James Van Der Beek, star of Dawson’s Creek, dies at 48
According to the CinemaDrame News Agency, James Van Der Beek, the charismatic actor of the teen melodrama Dawson’s Creek, has passed away at the age of 48 after several years battling colorectal cancer. The father of six had announced in November 2024 that he had been fighting the disease since August 2023.
His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, wrote in a statement on Instagram:
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He faced his final days with courage, faith, and dignity. There is much to be said about his wishes, his love for humanity, and the sanctity of time. That day will come. Today, we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Van Der Beek’s film credits included Varsity Blues directed by Brian Robbins, and The Rules of Attraction. He also played a fictionalized version of himself in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and appeared for two seasons in the ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.
Van Der Beek appeared in all 128 episodes of Dawson’s Creek, starring alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams.
In 1998, he said on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee:
“These characters speak honestly about what 15-year-olds wake up with and face every day: relationships, the opposite sex, parents, school, dreams, and aspirations.”
Van Der Beek was born in March 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut. After being sidelined for a year from playing football in middle school due to a concussion, he turned to acting and performed locally in Grease as Danny Zuko. People magazine named him one of the “Most Beautiful People in the World” in 1998.
In 2018, he competed on Dancing with the Stars, and last year on The Masked Singer.
In May 2025, it was announced that he would appear in Elle, a prequel to the film Legally Blonde for Prime Video. The series is scheduled to premiere in July 2026.
